Category Archives: Engines

Building engines on the Moon

Developing, Engines, Home Page, Rover, Solar Power

Light and shadow on the Moon

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This is a brief look at  the issues of Lunar light and shadow.

First, consider that the limit of either light or shadow is the horizon, which is much closer on the Moon than on Earth.  On flat terrain such as a Mare, consider the horizon as less than two kilometers distance.  A 500 meter peak may cast a shadow over forty kilometers distant – far “over the horizon.”

Effectively this is why the lunar North and South pole could not be imaged until LRO did it with radar.  Consider the solar terminator moving the line of sunlight and dark across the lunar surface.  The Moon has a slight axial tilt relative to the Sun, so the point we call the “North Pole” is not 90 degrees tangent to the Sun.

Because of the lack of an atmosphere, the transition from light to dark is sudden, abrupt and total.  Continue reading Light and shadow on the Moon →

Apollo, Engines, Geology, Home Page, Materials

Could a metallic meteor be found on the Moon?

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Seven percent of meteors are metallic.  Seven percent of the meteors hitting the Moon have been metallic.   It is known that by far the largest percentage of this hit with sufficient velocity to vaporize, and their metal became yet another layer on surface dust and dirt.  But why wouldn’t there be a few that didn’t vaporize?

One such meteor was found sitting on the surface on Mars. Of course, there is some air there to brake the incoming mass, as is the case on Earth.  But could such a meteor be located on the Moon? Continue reading Could a metallic meteor be found on the Moon? →